Brome's Wanderings
by Madd the sane
Summary: When Brome goes missing, it's up to his sister to find him.


For those of you who are confused as to the timing of this fic, it comes before Martin the Warrior. And the squirrel Amber also is the same as in Mossflower.

Molespeech is not in yet. Sorry. I don't know when (or if) I will add it in.

It was a beautiful morning. Birds chirped in their nests, the sun was making the fog disappear, but the beauty of the morning was lost to Laterose of Noonvale. She wondered where Brome, her brother, went. As usual he got in an augment with Urran Voh, their father, about Brome wandering alone. Urran Voh was the patriarch of Noonvale, so was his father and grandfather. Their family lived with other mice as well as squirrels, hedgehogs, and otters.

"Hurry up and get thy soup, missy, or I'll scoff it all down," called a voice from inside an improvised lean-to. Rose sighed and waited a while longer for any sign of her brother. "I didn't cook breakfast just to watch it go cold. Come on, aren't you hungry?" Rose wasn't hungry. She was worried about her brother's health and where he was. Rose sniffed the air and could smell the delicious odors of the soup. Finally she relented and went inside the shelter to get some food. "You aren't going to look any prettier if you don't eat." She smiled. She knew that Grumm was trying to cheer her up, but it wasn't working.

"I wonder if Brome is getting all the food that he needs," she said.

Grumm's button-like eye's almost disappeared when he smiled. "I think you worry too much about that rascal. He can fend for himself most of the time."

"I know that," Rose responded, "but I'm worried about the other times where he can't fend for himself, which seems to becoming more common each time he leaves home."

The kind smile on the mole's face was being replaced by a worried frown. "Don't worry yourself, missy, or your face won't be so pretty. Brome will be fine. A pack of wild vermin couldn't hurt him."

Rose forgot all about her soup. She was remembering the rumors she had heard about a band of vermin. "Grumm, what if the rumors are true, that there is a magic wolf that can kill without looking at the creature?" Rose was uneasy. "What if… what if they got him?"

"That is hogwash and you know it. Besides, Brome can shout out of any problem."

"Even so, Brome was running north the last time we saw him, and that is where the camp is supposed to be. I wish that Brome would stay home."

"So do I, missy, so do I. So, are we going to worry about Brome or are we going to try to find him?"

"We will need help if Brome is caught by the band of vermin. The problem is that we don't know whom to ask for help."

* * *

Their worst fears would have been confirmed if they knew where Brome was. Brome was a captive to the vermin. Lunis, apparently the leader of the group, was a fearful sight for Brome. Around the waist of the wolf-like fox was a kilt, surrounded by leather bags full of different powders. The eyes of the fox were always had the look that he was angry. Currently, he wanted to know where Brome came from. Brome didn't tell Lunis because Noonvale was a peaceful place. After being questioned by Lunis, Riptongue, a mute Pine Marten, sent him back to his wooden cage. Although Riptongue was fast and agile, the only reason why Lunis was leader of the horde is because of his supposed knowledge. After Brome was locked up tight in the cage, Lunis held a one-way talk with Riptongue, pausing at times to look at Riptongue's expression on his face. 

"Where do you think that brat is from?" Riptongue shrugged. Lunis grinned. He knew that Riptongue wouldn't kill him. Lunis also knew that Riptongue didn't like him. Riptongue was wise enough not to kill a person of higher authority, or of greater experience and knowledge, but still Riptongue didn't like being picked on, no matter whom it was. "I know where that little one lives," lied Lunis. "He lives to the…" Lunis tried to think of a likely place, but none came to mind "…northeast of here. I could read it in his eyes." Riptongue didn't buy it, but decided to play along. Lunis knew that the mouse was afraid of something, but what that was, Lunis didn't know.

After Brome was locked up, he huddled himself into a ball and began to cry. He didn't know what to do. He didn't want to die, but he didn't want Noonvale to be revealed to anyone who may cause harm to it. He felt a paw gently touch his back and heard a soothing voice saying, "There, there. Don't cry. Everything will be all right." Brome looked up and saw a face of a stern-looking female squirrel, which was not looking very happy herself.

"Why are you in here?" Asked Brome

"We were caught 'spying' on this vermin camp. Don't worry, little one, we'll get out of here," replied a tough-looking male squirrel. "When Greg comes here, we can all get out of here. Oh, sorry, mouse, what's your name?"

"Brome, son of Urran Voh and Arnya," responded Brome through a shaky voice.

"Brome, eh? I thought the place where your parent's lives didn't exist. My name is Amber Oaktail, and the fellow over there is my brother Tombark. We are looking for a hedgehog whose name is Greg Quill. Do you know him or where he might have gone?" asked the female squirrel.

Brome couldn't stop himself from asking a few questions. "Why do you think Greg will come here? How did you know abou…? Mmf!" Tom covered Brome's mouth just in time. Tom motioned that Brome was to be quiet for a while. Rockbrain came over to the cage, wondering who the new prisoner was.

Rockbrain was aptly named. He pointed at Brome "Is that the new squirrel?"

"No, he's a mouse, addle brain," answered Amber coolly. It took Rockbrain one whole minute to figure out what Amber said and meant.

"Is it night yet?" Rockbrain asked stupidly.

"No," retorted Tom, "it's midnight morn." this answer seemed to confuse Rockbrain properly, because Rockbrain's eyebrow rose ever so slightly. After about five minutes of having his head tilted slightly to the left and Rockbrain starring blankly into space, he turned around and walked away.

Amber answered Brome's second question in a secretive whisper. "It is an old Mossflower legend that there is a peaceful place somewhere to the north of Mossflower, whose leader's name is Urran Voh. It is the ideal place for most woodlanders who don't like what's going on over at Mossflower. We will never tell people that Noonvale really exists.

"I am the leader of the squirrels over at Mossflower. Not many people know my brother, or that he is my brother. Oh, that wearisome Greg! Why can't he just stay put? Whenever he travels alone, trouble follows."

Tom stretched out on his back, looking up at the blue sky. "That's right, sis: Our friend Greg Quill usually runs into trouble, no matter what my sister and I do. If he goes south to get away from the warlike north, local vermin catch him. When he travels north, he runs into some big, vicious armies of vermin. We think that he is more north than here, but no one can tell.

"I usually look after Greg, but because I couldn't find him, I asked for my sister's help."

"The squirrels? Nah, they're not worth anything," the voice didn't belong to Amber or anyone in the cage. "Why are we keeping them? You don't know! I thought you knew everything." There was a slight pause "hah, what's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" the voiced laughed. There was an audible growl, followed by the voice saying it was a joke, followed by sounds of struggle.

The squirrels knew what was going on, but Brome didn't.

"You'll soon see why it is a bad idea to mouth off to Riptongue," Tom said.

A stoat called Baldeye came running as if a demon was chasing her. The demon was Riptongue. Baldeye was a fast stoat, but Riptongue was an angry pine marten. Riptongue caught up with Baldeye and gave her a few good boots in the rear end, then turned around and stomped off, growling.

"Huh, he has the worst temper I've ever seen, but what can you expect from a marten?" she muttered. Baldeye was a strange stoat. Her left eye was completely white, while the right one was totally black. Creatures thought that she was blind; others thought that she could only see with one eye. Neither rumor was true. Although the left eye was white, she still could see with it, but just barely. Leaning back on the cage, she blew a sigh, and then looked down at the prisoners. She sneered at them. Thinking that they could do no harm to her since they were behind bars, she drew her cutlass out, deciding to have some fun with them.

Tom saw the look on her face and the cutlass blade, but acted if he didn't see either of them. Baldeye knelt down and rattled the cage with her cutlass, startling Brome. The squirrels, though, were not startled.

"Jumpy one we got there," she cackled. "He could do with a bit of work, too. He seems a little too round in the middle," she commented while trying to jab Brome with her blade, but it never got to him.

Tom took the blade from her grip and was about to attack Baldeye, but then there were more than a dozen spears pointing at the prisoners.

"I wouldn't swing that weapon if I were you," said a voice. The voice belonged to Lunis. "I think it's time you three were put to use. But first, I think you need a few lessons on discipline."

* * *

Greg Quill was really quite safe at Noonvale. As how he got there, not even he knew. All that he knew was that his squirrel friends would be looking for him. He decided to go and look for his friends, who were probably looking for trouble. He felt quite useless, always getting into trouble. The patriarch of the community suggested that he should go to the North, and that is where he went.

* * *

Rose, attracted by some sounds, caught her first glance of the vermin camp and gasped. She didn't think that the vermin camp would be this close! She signaled for Grumm, who was walking behind her, to be quiet and get down behind some bushes. After Grumm crawled to the front to see why Rose wanted him to be quiet and on the ground, his jaw dropped. The sight that they had seen scared both of them; a wolf-like fox laughing at a squirrel who was on the ground, groaning. Grumm covered his eyes with his digging claws and shook his head. 

"Hurr, I don't want to see this, burr aye," he whispered. Rose gasped and started shaking Grumm urgently, but he wasn't interested in anything except hiding his face. "Not now missy, I don't want to look at the poor squirrel getting hurt." she was persistent, though. Finally, Grumm saw why Rose was so excited, and gasped himself. She had seen Brome!

Rose saw the fox's gaze move towards where they were and pulled Grumm and herself to a better hiding place. Either the fox wasn't paying too much attention to what he was looking at, or he wanted to play with the mouse and the mole, because he sent a beast who looked liked he had less sense than a new table.

After explaining to Rockbrain to inspect the bushes because he heard some noises, Rockbrain was seen staring blankly into his face. This didn't improve Lunis's bad mood.

"I want you to look over there and see what's over there!" shouted Lunis and pointing. While Lunis was yelling, Rockbrain turned around and walked off towards the bushes.

"I've about had it with that oaf of a ferret!" he whispered to himself. "He is as useful as a bucket of frogs."

After venting his spleen to himself about what an idiot Rockbrain was, he turned back to Tom. The squirrels was proving to be quite nuisances. He didn't know what to do with them. Then an idea popped into his head; make them work. He was going to make them build a fortress for him.

"Hey, Lunis! I want to talk to you!" called someone. Lunis shut his eyes and sighed. He knew that voice all to well. A rat marches up to Lunis and grins. "Just what do you think your doin', hmm? Do you really plan on makin' these prisoners…" he kicked Tom, making him roll over "…eating us out of house and home? You're worthless!" With that, he tried to punch Lunis.

Lunis wasn't entirely ready for the punch, but was ready enough to dodge it. Reaching into one of the bags of powder he has on his waist, he throws a pawful of powder into Deadfang's eyes.

Deadfang was caught off guard. He backed away, shaking his head and squinting his eyes, trying to get rid of the dust in his eyes.

Then Lunis struck with a punch to the stomach and a boot to the bottom. He sent Deadfang away with a warning not to fight him.

* * *

During all of this, Rockbrain was walking heedlessly into the bushes, practically unaware of his surroundings. He was practically on Rose before either knew what was happening. It took only seconds for Rose to figure out what was happening, but it took a minute or two for Rockbrain to put two and two together. Even then, he wasn't sure of what to do. He asked rose what he should do with her, and she said that he wasn't to tell anyone about it, not even Riptongue. Unfortunately someone was listening in. 

Rose was trying to find a way to get Brome out of the cage when someone whispered close to her ear "I hope you like cages, because you'll be livin' in one." Grumm Moaned. They were caught.

"Hey, Lunis, over here!" Deadfang called out.

Lunis just herd his voice, not the words. "What now! I am tired of you speaking…"

"Then you're not interested in having two more prisoners?"

Lunis wasn't too happy to deal with more prisoners, but kept his anger hidden.

"Put them in the other cage." he commanded.

_Other cage? What other cage? _Thought Rose.

Apparently Amber was wondering the same thing, judging from the expression on her face.

Rose and Grumm were thrust into a cage that had a hedgehog as its only occupant.

"Have a pleasant stay!" Deadfang said and laughed evilly.

Rose started to cry.

Grumm tried to comfort her, but to no avail.

"Who will come to rescue us?" she cried, "Who even knows we're here."

"I don't know if the otters know you're here, but they will come here to get us all out." the Hedgehog said.

"What's your name?" Rose asked the hedgehog.

"Greg. What's yours?"

"Rose."

"Pleased to meet you, Rose. Here, take this." He gave her a mostly rusted saw. She looked questioningly at him, wondering how he got it. He merely shrugged and glanced at the saw blade, then the bars, and back again.

Rose didn't think that was a great idea because the saw looked like it was about to break.

Rose had a different idea. "Grumm, can't you dig us out?" she asked. He nodded and started digging.

After digging a hole, everyone got out and started moving to the other cage. Rose knocked out the guard and began sawing through the bars.

At that same instant, at least a dozen otters started making war cries and slinging pebbles at the vermin. None of the stones hit the vermin, but some came frighteningly close.

Rose was able to get only one bar sawed off when the saw broke. The space was big enough for Brome and the squirrels to get out. They did so in great haste.

This was enough to frighten all the vermin to run away.

* * *

After the otters destroyed the vermin camp, the six new friends set off to Noonvale. Greg had already decided to stay at Noonvale because it offered a place of peace. 

When they got to Noonvale, Tom also decided to stay for a while because a squirrelmaild caught his eye. Amber gave him a good-bye hug and wished him luck.

After staying the night at Noonvale, Amber announced that she will be returning to Mossflower.

Rose and Brome were back with their family, and Brome was getting a good lecture from his dad.

* * *

Lunis, however, was not having a good time. First, the otters wreck his camp, and then he is forced to flee to the cold Northlands. After that, Rockbrain blurts out that Lunis is a fox. And that he uses powders to get done what he wants. Lunis was just about ready to kill him when Deadfang gives Riptongue a bow to get rid of Lunis. Riptongue is pleased. He loads the bow, gets ready to release the arrow, and then Rockbrain asks "What's Midnight morn?" 

Deadfang just replies "Where Lunis is about to go!"

Satisfied that everyone has made their peace, Riptongue sights down the arrow, aims, and releases.

And nobody has heard of Lunis from that day forward.


End file.
